"The rise of public advocacy in business"

[In] early 2013...a group of over 30 CEOs wrote to the Financial Times, calling on the prime minister to stick to the commitment [on international aid]. In doing so, they made both a moral case – and a business one. Helping the poor in developing countries not only saved children's lives, they argued, it helped boost their future markets and secure their supply chains. Bolstered by the move, the government stuck to its guns...Solitaire Townsend...[says]: "This is really just a case of CEOs doing their job ... Issues like resource price volatility, climate change, human rights and so on are company-scale threats ... they are simply unignorable."...

Taking a position on issues like these is no longer an indulgence for the progressive CEO...Forum for the Future's founder-director Jonathon Porritt [says:] "Whether it's about protecting supply chains, building reputations, or securing a license to operate, it all plays deep into an integrated business case." There is a straightforward "power brings responsibility" logic at play, too, he says, pointing to Ian Cheshire, ex-Kingfisher CEO, and Unilever's Paul Polman. These are CEOs who not only grasp this logic, but act on it...When the Cambodian government was resisting demands from textile workers for a higher minimum wage, eight leading fashion retailers, including H&M and Primark, urged it to think again...It's not the only example. Several major corporations, including Tesco, successfully lobbied the government to introduce a clause into the UK Modern Slavery Bill -which has now become law - compelling companies to report on steps taken to ensure their supply chains were free of slave labour...On occasion, then, self-interest can combine with altruism – even if it's not always apparent.